The Running Thread - 2026

[Mr_Incr3dible]

One of my favorite past times, especially since looking at anything on the screen of our condo’s gym requires craning my head way down is doing constant fractions of how far I’ve gone and how far to go…pure excitement, I know.

That is a whole new level of runner math.

 

[SheHulk]

One of my favorite past times, especially since looking at anything on the screen of our condo’s gym requires craning my head way down is doing constant fractions of how far I’ve gone and how far to go…pure excitement, I know.

I do this too!

 

[PrincessV]

Um… they’re talking possible SNOW on the central Gulf Coast of Florida Sunday. Not N. Florida, where snow is unusual but known to happen - I’m talking Tampa Bay Area. Sub-tropical. Moderated by warm Gulf waters. And apparently those warm waters coupled with an arctic blast could create a tropical version of lake-effect snow: Gulf-Effect snow flurries.

I just… NO. Uninterested. Uh-uh. I’d greatly prefer not, thank you.

I did a short run after work yesterday in a Feels Like of 40º with some seriously cold wind: even with wool socks and thick fleece gloves (plus thermal tights, long sleeve thermal top and a puffer vest, fleece hat, neck gaiter), my toes and fingers were numb for 30 minutes, then burned with pain the last 15. I am not built for this kind of cold - I was in a tank and shorts Sunday!

 

[avondale]

Well, with the icy conditions left over by the big storm, I did my first run on the treadmill in years - I walk and power hike inclines on the treadmill a lot, but I've managed to avoid running on it. I very much prefer to run outside in nearly any conditions.

The treadmill still feels so much harder to me than outside, even at the same alleged pace. It's not totally subjective - my HR was definitely quite a bit higher, increasing throughout the run, although it's warmer in my basement than conditions outside for my last few runs so that would contribute to the HR.

For kicks (it's a snow day again!), I measured the speed of my treadmill today by making a mark on the belt and counting how many cycles in a certain amount of time. I have a Spirit XT485 that is around 10 years old.

For a slow walking pace of 3.0 mph, repeated trials averaged a speed of 3.04 mph, or about 1.5% too fast.

For a slow running pace of 5.0 mph, repeated trials averaged a speed of 5.09 mph, or about 1.5% too fast, also.

I did the treadmill's factory calibration routine, and then the measurements went to 3.03 mph and 5.07 mph, respectively, which was a bit more accurate but not all the way there.

The treadmill manual gives instructions for taking it apart a bit and adjusting the "speed senors", but I'm not about to mess with that.

So I was right that my treadmill is too fast, but I don't think it's a big enough effect for me to actually be feeling it! I just really hate being on the treadmill.

 

[MissLiss279]

Well, with the icy conditions left over by the big storm, I did my first run on the treadmill in years - I walk and power hike inclines on the treadmill a lot, but I've managed to avoid running on it. I very much prefer to run outside in nearly any conditions.

The treadmill still feels so much harder to me than outside, even at the same alleged pace. It's not totally subjective - my HR was definitely quite a bit higher, increasing throughout the run, although it's warmer in my basement than conditions outside for my last few runs so that would contribute to the HR.

For kicks (it's a snow day again!), I measured the speed of my treadmill today by making a mark on the belt and counting how many cycles in a certain amount of time. I have a Spirit XT485 that is around 10 years old.

For a slow walking pace of 3.0 mph, repeated trials averaged a speed of 3.04 mph, or about 1.5% too fast.

For a slow running pace of 5.0 mph, repeated trials averaged a speed of 5.09 mph, or about 1.5% too fast, also.

I did the treadmill's factory calibration routine, and then the measurements went to 3.03 mph and 5.07 mph, respectively, which was a bit more accurate but not all the way there.

The treadmill manual gives instructions for taking it apart a bit and adjusting the "speed senors", but I'm not about to mess with that.

So I was right that my treadmill is too fast, but I don't think it's a big enough effect for me to actually be feeling it! I just really hate being on the treadmill.

Were you walking/running on the treadmill with these measurements? (Is that possible??)
I only ask because I think I’ve heard that with every foot strike on a treadmill it slows down just a little. That makes sense to me, but I haven’t done real research to know how much or if it is true.

 

[Novatrix]

Doing signups for NYRR (yes, i’m going for 9+1 again) and decided to get their plus membership because so many people bought memberships that there were barely any races left over for regular sale. Signups are now, does this look familiar to everyone?

I've been following all the angst over on the RunNYC forums about how quickly everything sold out during the member plus presale due to 9+1, and how it's particularly hurting people who just wanted to do their local organized runs. Personally, there's a fun run I wanted to do in the spring, but I wasn't about to pay an extra $120 to get a chance at registering for a 4 miler that I can easily run the same course even a couple of hours later for free.

In my opinion, if NYRR wants to keep to their non-profit mission statement of having affordable, low cost races for the NYC running community, they need to abandon the 9+1 program, and just dedicate the proportion of bibs for the NYC marathon that would go to the program to accept a larger percentage of lottery winners from 5 boro zip codes. Either that, or they need to start putting the 30% YOY fee growth they've been clearing back into the communities in a way that's being felt.

 

[Naomeri]

As far as treadmill running goes, I enjoy it. I used to love running outside in the cold for a grit factor, but grinding out miles on the treadmill also requires its own kind of grit and determination. One of my favorite past times, especially since looking at anything on the screen of our condo’s gym requires craning my head way down is doing constant fractions of how far I’ve gone and how far to go…pure excitement, I know.

Did my first easy run yesterday after this weekends break, if you can call nearly 60 hours of work in 4 days a break, and my knee feels way better. To randomly assign a number I would say it is 98% better.

You do math to entertain yourself?? Are you sure you're a runner?

To switch things up a bit, I did an Apple Fitness+ treadmill workout last night. It was good, but I slightly overestimated where my "all out" abilities were and it was a hard workout. And spending so much time breathing hard really messed up my nose for the rest of the night--I constantly felt that itchy feeling like there was sneeze coming, but it never happened. But I'm better today, so that's nice.

 

[fatmanatee]

I've been following all the angst over on the RunNYC forums about how quickly everything sold out during the member plus presale due to 9+1, and how it's particularly hurting people who just wanted to do their local organized runs. Personally, there's a fun run I wanted to do in the spring, but I wasn't about to pay an extra $120 to get a chance at registering for a 4 miler that I can easily run the same course even a couple of hours later for free.

In my opinion, if NYRR wants to keep to their non-profit mission statement of having affordable, low cost races for the NYC running community, they need to abandon the 9+1 program, and just dedicate the proportion of bibs for the NYC marathon that would go to the program to accept a larger percentage of lottery winners from 5 boro zip codes. Either that, or they need to start putting the 30% YOY fee growth they've been clearing back into the communities in a way that's being felt.

I've benefitted from 9+1 but yeah I think I agree with this, the situation isn't sustainable. My other thought was to raise the membership price to CrD levels, greatly limit the number of memberships (like CrD), no other changes. I don't think they have any limits on the membership, it basically pays for itself if you're doing 9+1 since you get discounts on the races, and this is the result of that. They already started backtracking a bit and said they put a harder limit on plus pre-sales so non-members aren't left out but we won't see the impact of that until tomorrow so who knows how it'll go.

 

[The Expert]

Gulf-Effect snow flurries.

OMG COOL! I lived in Clearwater in the 80s and we had flurries one Christmas. I legit want to fly down just to experience this!

 

[Novatrix]

My other thought was to raise the membership price to CrD levels, greatly limit the number of memberships (like CrD), no other changes. I don't think they have any limits on the membership, it basically pays for itself if you're doing 9+1 since you get discounts on the races, and this is the result of that. They already started backtracking a bit and said they put a harder limit on plus pre-sales so non-members aren't left out but we won't see the impact of that until tomorrow so who knows how it'll go.

I'd agree with CRD price logic, if they were a private company. As a non-profit, with tax benefits shouldered by the general public, this type of pay to play seems antithetical to their mission statement.

Full disclosure, I'm far enough away that despite being in the city at least once a month, I determined it would be a financial wash to do 9+1 vs the lowest level charity fundraising committment, so it neither benefits nor harms me if the program goes away.

Also, it's not just non-members, but also NYRR members paying the regular annual fee that were left out.